Meet

Maria

About Maria

CountryTimor-Leste

Educational institutionCharles Darwin University (CDU)

StudiedBachelor of Information Technology

Student statusAlumni

Hi, my name is Maria Teresa or Mimi, I’m from Timor-Leste and I’m studying a Bachelor of Information Technology at Charles Darwin University (CDU). My main goal of studying abroad is to explore different things, how to learn different perceptions and share ideas with different people from all over the world.

Studying in Darwin, Australia has always been a dream for me since I was in a secondary school. I’m lucky to get this opportunity from our Ministry of Finance in Timor-Leste that offered this scholarship to study at CDU. Apart from that, I was also encouraged by students who have already finished their studies here through the same scholarship.

The things that I really love about Darwin is the study atmosphere, the professional experience offered at university for students and getting involved in a range of different activities and work experience. I have also really enjoyed adapting to a new environment and learning about new cultures. The weather is really similar to my country, so that’s made the transition easier.

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I am really excited to be a part of this wonderful journey as a StudyNT student ambassador.

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Minsu — South Korea

Hi, I’m Minsu and I'm studying hospitality.

Chithra — India

My name is Chithra and I’m from India.

Yeimi — Colombia

My name is Yeimi and I am from Colombia.

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Prashun — Nepal

I found Darwin to be a vibrant and multicultural place.

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As a kid, growing up in Nepal, I was an avid reader. My favourite books featured stories about adventure, travel, nature and culture.

Stella — Indonesia

Darwin has a thriving lifestyle and a diverse community. The locals are extremely friendly. You'll immediately feel at home!

Manfred — Estonia

I am Manfred, and I’m from Estonia.

Mikhaila — Philippines

I am Mikhaila and I am studying in the NT.

Po Yan — Hong Kong

Hello everyone! I’m from Hong Kong and I’m a first-year student at Charles Darwin University (CDU) pursuing my Master of Information Technology (Cyber Security).

Grace — Vietnam

Xin Chao. It’s Huyen, most of my friends call me Gracie. I was born in a small province in Vietnam.

Portrait shot of Nilesh

Nilesh — Sri Lanka

I am passionate about bringing people from different cultures together and help them transform their lives.

Emilia — Argentina

It’s a beautiful tropical place, with an incredible culture and adventures to discover.

Ajay — India

My name is Ajay and I am from India.

Frank — Peru

After living in Darwin for one year, I can say honestly is a great place to live - the weather is great, people are super friendly and it is very easy to settle into.

Jessica — Thailand

My name is Jessica. I have great friends and family here, so Darwin really feels like home.

Wahaj — Pakistan

I always wanted to come to Darwin for studies.

Muhammad — Bangladesh

I think that the thing I love the most about Darwin is the weather because it is similar to my country, Bangladesh.

Portrait shot of Sadeepa

Sadeepa — Sri Lanka

I chose the lush city of Darwin and this turned out to be one of the best choices I have made in my life.

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Sheikh — Pakistan

If you’re looking for a laid back and relaxing environment, where people are friendly and greet you with warmth then the Northern Territory is the place to be!

Anna Belle — United States of America

Studying and working with people from so many different backgrounds has helped me imagine the world in ways.

Neil — Philippines

Growing up my parents always taught us that if we want something, we must work hard for it and I have carried this golden lesson wherever I go.

Sunday — Bangladesh

Hi, everyone knows me as Sunday.

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Keith — Vietnam

I’m an international student from Vietnam who has spent the past eight years in Australia for education and personal development purposes.

Portrait shot of Pat

Pat — Thailand

My long journey in Australia has officially begun in Darwin after I have been granted a Study in Australia’s Northern Territory Scholarship.

Navjot — India

I'm Navjot from India, and I'm studying a Master of Business Administration at Charles Darwin University.

Ruizhe — China

G’day, Ni Hao! My name is Ruizhe but you can call me Ruiz for short. I grew up in the city of Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province.

Heather — China

The wonderful experience I have had in the Northern Territory presented me a beautiful vision for my future.

Amy — China

Hi, I am Yue from Anhui Province, China. I am known as Amy.

Rosie — Vietnam

I always feel thankful because I have chosen Darwin to live in as the NT has an excellent education, kind people, a wonderful environment, and lovely weather.

Amanda talking with friends

Amanda — Brazil

Being part of the StudyNT Student Ambassador program is great for helping people and improving skills.

Edin — India

Right from the beginning, Darwin has been full of exciting ventures and encouragements.

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Ben — Colombia

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Portrait shot of Saloni

Saloni — Nepal

As clichéd as it may sound, from the first time I toured the Territory, it felt like home.

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Darwin, a land of opportunities, will help me to further in my career.

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Portrait shot of Nagendra

Nagendra — Nepal

Coming to live and study in the Territory is one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

Nasib — Bangladesh

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Portrait shot of Julia

Julia — Brazil

I am more than happy to tell everyone how much I love studying in the Northern Territory.

Ali — Tanzania

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Adele — Italy

My dream is to help people that are less fortunate and actively make a difference.

Abhishek — India

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Sushan — Nepal

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Katarina — Slovakia

Hi there! My name is Katarina and I’m from Slovakia.

Jimena — Colombia

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Leonito — Timor-Leste

My name is Leonito Fatima da Costa Barros, and I am from Timor-Leste.

Szu-yuan — Taiwan

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Portrait shot of Clarissa

Clarissa — Indonesia

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Leo — Taiwan

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Renu — Nepal

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Amanda — China

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Bishnu — Nepal

Hello everyone, this is Bishnu all the way from Nepal.

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My name is Dali but you can call me David.

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My name is Jurse, an international student from the Philippines.

Jung eun — South Korea

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Cindy — Australia

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Gunawan — Indonesia

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Alima — China

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Michael — Vanuatu

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Portrait shot of Anjun

Anjun — Sri Lanka

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Chiao — Taiwan

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Portrait shot of Jenny

Jenny — China

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Michael eating ice-cream with friends

Michael — Philippines

The StudyNT Student Ambassador Program is a great program for international students here in the Northern Territory.

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Hua — China

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Lara — Philippines

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Portrait shot of Oshin

Oshin — Bangladesh

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Bushra — Bangladesh

Hi, I’m Bushra.

Santiago — Colombia

Hello everybody my name is Santiago and I am from Colombia.

Denis — Switzerland

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Portrait shot of Denisse

Denisse — El Salvador

I believe in the power of sharing ideas to work towards a common goal.

Maria — Indonesia

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Izzy — Brazil

Hi, I'm Izzy from Brazil.

Sara — Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Territory became a sign of new beginnings and hope for me. Since then, I have been able to start my studies and create a home, which I am grateful for.

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My name is Apekshya and I have been in Darwin since November 2018.

Anusia Ratna Dass

Anusia — Malaysia

Choosing to study in our Territory is one of the best decisions in my life. I love to share with others all the positives that studying here has brought to my life and how it can also transform theirs.

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Intern stories: Farah and Baz

Farah and Baz — Brunei

Farah and Baz joined the Northern Territory Public Sector on a three month internship from the Brunei Government.

Angelo — Philippines

Hi I’m Angelo and I’m doing a Master of Emergency and Disaster Management course at Charles Darwin University.

Anish — Nepal

I researched all available options and found Darwin was the best place to live for me.

Akansh — India

Darwin is a perfect balance between city life and the outback life.

Dhanna — Philippines

I have been experiencing the wonderful lifestyle here in Darwin, Northern Territory for almost two years now.

Mary — Philippines

I am Mary and I am from the Philippines.

Matthew — Malaysia

Hi, I'm Matthew from Malaysia.

Hector — Colombia

Hola a todos and hello my name is Hector and I am from Colombia.

Nirali — Australia

Darwin is home, I attended high school here and it was an easy decision to choose Charles Darwin University.

Augusto — Timor-Leste

Hi my name is Augusto and I am from Timor-Leste.

Tianyu (Tom) Wang

Tom — China

大家好！Hi everyone! My name is Tom and I’m from Beijing, the capital of China.

Jayan — Nepal

I graduated in December 2018 as a civil engineer from Charles Darwin University.

Geraldine — Australia

I have lived in Darwin for over eight years, having travelled around the world to places in Asia and the Middle East, Darwin has always been my home.

Alice — Vietnam

Darwin is not only a welcoming city where I have made a great circle of friends, but Darwin made me feel like my home in Vietnam did.

Shehani Kaushika Rajapaksha

Shehani — Sri Lanka

Choosing Darwin, Northern Territory (NT) as my study destination has been one of the best decisions I’ve made and I’m already reaping the rewards of it.

Varuna Yasas Sri Sumanasena

Vick — Sri Lanka

My life in Darwin has been remarkable from day one. I enjoy the amazing landscapes, warm weather, friendly people, and amazing food in Darwin.

Mashiat — Bangladesh

Every activity has made me feel blessed and proud of my decision to move to the Territory.

Portrait shot of Christine

Christine — Vietnam

When I arrived in Darwin, I immediately knew this was going to be exciting.

Faatih — Indonesia

I came to Australia three years ago as a backpacker as I wanted to see how wonderful it is.

Natasha — Indonesia

I'm Natasha from Indonesia.

Joshna — Nepal

I was nine years old when I first saw a picture of the Sydney Opera House.

Barbara Mantoan

Barbara — Italy

When I was a child, Australia was always on my mind. I used to close my eyes and smell the ochre colours I saw on TV.

Jiaying — China

Jiaying is a citizen of China studying a Master of Business Administration at Charles Darwin University.

Jessica — Indonesia

When I completed my secondary junior course and my father asked me if I was interested to continue my studies in Darwin, of course I said yes because I believe that I can get a better education here.

Jayden — Malaysia

My name is Jayden and I go to Darwin High School. I love it.

Coco — China

My name is Coco, I just started studying a Master of Teaching.

Nabiha — Bangladesh

Hi, I'm Nabiha from Bangladesh.

Linh — Vietnam

Chao, my name’s Linh, I’m 18 years old and I’m originally from Vietnam.

Portrait shot of Aron

Aron — Italy

Darwin as one of the best places in Australia for quality of life and learning.

Carol — China

Hello, I am Qian Zou from Liaoning Province of China.

Abhishek — India

Hello, my name is Abhishek and I am from India.

Sandipa — Nepal

My name is Sandipa. I grew up in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.

Portrait shot of Sulav

Sulav — Nepal

The instant I landed in Darwin it was love at first sight. As I’m a ‘warm weather kind of guy’, Darwin is perfect for me.

Chrystal — Philippines

My first impression when I arrived in Darwin was 'wow, this feels similar to the Philippines' but eventually I noticed that it’s quite different; the people, culture, opportunities, and diversity.

Portrait shot of Sunny

Sunny — China

When it comes to studying, living and working as an international student, Darwin is the place to be.

Jeanine — Philippines

…it is a common knowledge that Charles Darwin University belongs to the top 10 universities in Australia and I am proud and excited to be part of its community.

Farjana — Bangladesh

Hi, my name is Farjana, I am from Bangladesh.

Lloyd — Philippines

Mabuhay! I am Lloyd Dominic from Davao City, Philippines.

Upper body shot of Shreeja

Shreeja — India

Shree moved to Darwin from India in 2019 to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing.

Kylie — Vietnam

I chose Darwin, the gateway to Asia, making it accessible for visiting my hometown - Saigon, Vietnam.

Novaldo — Indonesia

Hi, I am Novaldo and I’m a year 11 student at St John’s Catholic College in Darwin.

Byung — South Korea

I'm happy to introduce myself. My name is Byunghyuk but please just call me as Byung although this may be still a bit difficult to pronounce for Australian.

Shubham — Nepal

Darwin’s sunny days and beautiful beaches with a laidback lifestyle has captured my heart.

Febby — Indonesia

Over the time I have lived in Darwin it has been an overwhelming experience due to its serene atmosphere and friendly community.

Elvira — Indonesia

My name is Elvira, I was born and raised in the countryside of Java Island, Indonesia.

Mark — Philippines

I'm Mark form Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and am the middle child among three siblings.

Ema — Slovakia

My favourite thing about living in the Territory would be the unique lifestyle and very laid back, easy-going people who always smile at you or have a chat with you.

Quennie — Philippines

My name is Quennie from the Philippines.

Crystal — China

Since I first arrived in Darwin, I found I have been embraced by the unique natural scenery, the local culture, the close connection between the local community and people; everyone here is very friendly.

Portrait shot of Molly

Molly — Australia

I was lucky enough to find my perfect degree at Charles Darwin University.